Rail extractor



Jan. 30, 1945. l P. SPIEGYEL 2,368,269

RAIL EXTRACTOR Filed Jan. 7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 S3 597 E ATT RNEY Jan. 30, 1945. V SHEGEL 2,368,269

RAIL EXTRACTOR F iied Jan. 7, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheefcw,2"

L I 177 4/ x IQNVENTOR PHuJP S PIEGEL TTORNEY Patented Jan. 30, 1945 U N l TE D STATES PAT E N T O FF ICE RAIL cx'rnnc'ron Philip 'Spiegel, Bronx, N. Y.

Application January 7, 1943, Serial-No. 471,616

.17 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for extracting steel rails, such as are used for streetcars, from a pavement in which they are firmly embedded.

It has been the practice, heretofore, when removing street car rails from exposed "sleepers, to employ a skid in which a roller mounted between the two runners of the skid progressively advanced beneath portions of a rail already :lifted from the sleepers. While this method and apparatus was satisfactory for lifting a rail from exposed sleepers due to the relatively small force required to extract spikes from wood, it-could not be employed for extraction of street car-rails from a pavement in which they were 'firmly embedded. Such condition is usually found in urban sections where the rails are set in a high-cement concrete roadway or in a granite block roadway having highcement,concrete or a bituminous binder. Skids could not be employed for extracting rails from a pavement of this type because the large lifting reaction engendered required a prohibitively high tractive effort to advance the skid.

It has been proposed to extract rails from a pavement of the character under consideration by applying a lifting efifort to the rails at spaced points along its length by means of jacks, winches, etc. But this apparatus and method had the disadvantage of requiring extremely heavy 'struc tural members and of being slow in operation.

It is an object of the present invention therefore, to provide an improved apparatus for extracting rails from a pavement in which they are firmly embedded, which apparatus shall be simple and relatively light in construction, continuous and efficient in operation over stretches of appreciable length, and inexpensive to manufacture and use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rail extractor which does not require a prolubitively high tractive effort to advance a skid on which there is imposed a very high lifting reaction.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the feature of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown various possible embodiments of the invention and wherein like numbers refer to like parts throughout,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a rail extractor embodying my invention and an automotive vehicle forhauling'and actuating thesame;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical central sectional view through-said extractor; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 'of Fig.3.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 have there disclosed a railextr'actor 1-0 embodying myinvention andessentially comprisi'ng a pair a: bearing and shearing beams l2, l4 and a carriage 'IB'idding atop said beams.

The bearing and shearing beams are elongated structural'members of great strength, which may assume' the form or an H-beam, as shown, but which must provide upper'and lower bearing surfaces. Said bearing surfaces, in the illustrated embodiment ofmy invention, comprise'the upper and lower flanges of the 'H-beams. The lower bearing surfaces are designed to press against the pavement P in which a rail Ris embedded, and ar each sufiiciently large and heavy 'to absorb, without deformation or mutilation, one-half of thelifting effort required to extract the railfrom said pavement. "Said lower bearing surfaces should also be sufficiently strong -tolimit the breakage line of the pavement on 'both sides of the rail. To obtain 'this'efiect, the lower surfaces act in shear against the pavement at the edges facing the extracted rail. The "distance between the inner edges of the lower surfaces oftwosheai: ing and bearing beams l2, l4 thus controls the breakage width. Said beams should not beplaced so close to the rail that they will act to shear off the bottom rail flange nor, if the rail is embedded in granite blocks, so close that they would be required to shear blocks. The upper surfaces or the shearing and bearing beams should jointly present a plane surface 'or track which affords support over substantially the entire length of the beams for the carriage 1'6. Said surfaces r' should be strong enough to resist between them,

without distortion or'inutilation, the lifting force required toextract a rail. To this end the beams l2, M are preferably of H or I configuration.

Regular H or I structural beams may lee-employed,

or, if available beams are unable to absorb the stress imposed without deformation, they maybe built up from platesand-angle-irons as illustrated.

Both the rear and forward end of the shearing and bearing beams are rigidly tied together in a suitable manner, as with cross-bars -I'll, 2'0, so that the beams can be permanently maintained a fixed and desirable predetermined distance apart.

The beams l2, [4 are hauled into desired position on both sides of a rail to be extracted by an automotive vehicle, such as a conventional truck 22 having draw-lines, comprising wire cables 24, extending between either the truck body or rear end and the front of said beams. Preferably, the forward ends 26 of the beams are recessed arcuately to receive the rear wheels of the truck to aid in stabilizing the extractor in during operation.

The carriage IS, in main, comprises a frame, at least one roller rotatably supported on the frame and adapted to roll beneath the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, a plurality of means in rolling contact with the upper surfaces of the shearing and bearing beams l2, l4, and anti-friction means intermediate the rolling contact means and the frame.

The illustrated carriage l8, which embodies all of these elements and which is so constructed that it may be manufactured and assembled at low cost, comprises a frame including a top plate 23 to which a pair of spaced parallel side plates 30, 32 are secured by means of angle irons 34, which are bolted and welded to the top and side plates respectively. Attention is directed to the fact that the forward edge 36 of the side plates 3%], 32 extends beyond the lower edges 38 thereof for expediting operative stabilization of the extractor.

The means for providing rolling anti-friction engagement between the frame and the upper surfaces of the shearing and bearing beams comprises a plurality of cold-rolled steel shafts 40 lying athwart the frame of the carriage and journaled in pairs of aligned heavy duty bushings 42, force-fitted into apertures in the upper region of the side plates 30, 32. Said shafts are long enough to extend over substantially the full width of the top flanges of the beams l2, I4. In order to obtain a greater bearing area between each of the shafts 40 and the underlying flanges of the v shearing and bearing beams, I may dispose short sections of pipe 44 around the projecting portions of said shafts 40. The internal diameter of the pipe sections may be only slightly greater than the external diameter of the shafts so that the two will tend to turn together, and a heavy grease can be packed therebetween to aid in reducing friction at this point. Additionally, if the discrepancies in the two diameters aforementioned is too great, the shaft and pipe sections may be tied together with pins 46.

The number of shafts 40 employed is determined by the diameter thereof, the spacing between the beams l2, l4, and the character of the pavement P in which the rail R is embedded. A sufficient number of shafts should be employed to spread the reaction load imposed upon the top surface of the shearing and bearing beams to such an extent that neither the shafts 40, pipe sections 44, nor top flanges of said beams are sub- .l'ected to a breaking or deforming stress. It will be noted that I have grouped the shafts at the front and back of the carriage where the greatest stress is imposed.

In the lower region of the side plates 30, 32 there are provided a plurality of short cold-rolled steel shafts 48 which lie athwart said plates. These shafts have short pipe sections 50 arranged thereabout between the side plates. Like the shafts 40 and pipe sections 44, the shaft and pipe sections 48, 5!! should-only have a slight clearance 76 therebetween and may be packed with heavy grease. In addition, bushings 52 may be provided to keep friction losses as low as possible. Collars 54 pinned to opposite extremities of the shaft extending beyond the side plates 30, 32 prevent axial shifting thereof in the same manner that the pipe sections 44 prevent hiftin of the shafts 48. The several shafts 48 are linearly arranged at an angle to the aligned shafts 40, the angle therebetween representing the optimum lifting angle between the pavement P and the rail section R being extracted. By providing a plurality of such linearly arranged extracting rolls 48, 50, there is a tendency to cause the extraction angle to assume the desired inclination. The shafts 48 like the shafts 40 are more closel grouped in the front and back of the carriage where the greatest stress is likely to be imposed.

Suitable means is also provided to advance the carriage [6 relative to the shearing and bearing beams l2, l4. Such means may comprise a yoke 56, whose arms are connected by pivot pins 58 to the side plates 30, 32. The yoke pole 60 is attached to the end of a whip line 62 which is actuated by a winch 64 mounted on the body of the truck 22.

If desired, the shear or breakage line of the pavement to either side of the rail being extracted may be more closely controlled, particularly in the event that the rail is being pulled from a bituminous or bituminous surfaced pavement, by providing a biting ridge or flange 66 along the inside lateral edge of the underneath flanges of the beams l2, [4. In the event that such beams are employed on rock-surfaced pavement, such as concrete or granite block, the beams may be turned upside down. To enable the device In to be used with the beams in this latter position, it will be noted that I have made the shafts 40 short enough to ride between said ridges 86 if they are on the upper surface, and I have provided angular recesses 68 on the opposite ends of the beams l2, [4 in reverse to the recesses 28.

The foregoing constitute the main structural elements of the rail lifting device. In order to demonstrate the use thereof, the various steps practiced in the operation of said device will now be described.

With the several parts in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the shearing and bearing beams I2, 14 and carriage 16 are hauled to a rail which is to be extracted. B manipulation of the truck 22, the beams i 2, 14 are uniformly disposed on both sides of said rail at the proper distance therefrom. The back of th beams is placed behindthe end of the rail which is to be lifted. The whip line 62 is then slacked off and the carriage 1-6 pushed to the back of the beams l2, H. The truck 22 is backed up until its rear wheels rest in the arcuate recesses 26 so that a heavy weight pins down the front of said beams. The rear wheels of the truck are chocked in this position and lashed to said beams. Care is exercised while the previous mentioned operations are being performed to keep the slack of the wir cables 24 clear of the beam l2, l4 and truck 22. Next the end of the rail is lifted by hand-j acking, levering, or the like, an amount sufficient to enable at least the forward roller 48, 50 to be inserted therebeneath. The insertion is accomplished either by pulling the carriage 16 ahead by hand or by drawing the same forward with the winch 64. With the parts thus positioned, the winch 64 is placed in continuous operation drawing the carriage 16 ahead and causing the same to continuously extract the rail R until said carriage has reached a position quite near the front of the beams I2, :14.

I now unchock and unlash the .rear wheels of the truck, slack off the whip line 52, and use the truck 22 to haul the beams l2, l4 ahead. The carriage l6 remains stationary during this step, although the shafts 40 and pipe sections ride on the upper flanges of the beams I2, 14. The beams are moved forward a distance suflicien't to place the carriage l6 near the back thereof. The truck .is now once more ,backed up and checked and lashed to the beams, whereupon, the carriage can be drawn forward toextract another long length of rail. This cycle of operations .is repeated indefinitely,

If rails of greater widths than that shown are encountered, the spacing between the plates 34, 32 can be varied to accommodate these wider rails by unboltin the angle irons 314 from the top plate 28, moving the irons furtherapart and then bolting the plate and irons together again. To facilitate this procedure a plurality of aper. tures ID are provided in said plate. At the same time, the pinned .connection between the's'halfts 40 and pipe sections 44, and between the shaft 48 andcollars .54 are opened and readjusted to conform to the desired spacing between the side plates before repinning by the use of .a, plurality of bores l2, 14, provided in the :shafts :40, 48 respectively, for this purpose. Pipe sections 50 of different lengths are kept on hand to cover the varied amount of shaft section '48 which is exposed upon adjustment of the plates 30, 32.

It'will thus be -seen that there are provided a device and method which achieve the several objects of this invention and whichare well-adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure .by Letters Patent:

1. A rail extractor comprising a mir or parallel elongated members having matched ends which are arcuately recessed to receive wheels of an automotive vehicle, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller rotatably supported on the "frame and adapted to roll along the bottom of an'elevated portion of a rail bein extracted, and a plurality of means supported on said frame in rolling contact with the upper surfaces of said elongated members.

2. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members having flat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two members being respectively co-planar, a carriage reciprocable along and between said members, said carriage including a horizontal top plate and a pair of vertical spaced side plates suspended from and rigidly connected to said top plate, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said side plates, each of said rollers spanning said members and resting in rolling contact on the upper surfaces thereof, said rollers being arranged in alignment parallel to and beneath said top plate, and a roller rotatably supported in said side'plates beneath said first named rollers, said last named roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted.

;3. A rail extractor comprisinga pair of parallel elongated members havin flat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two members being respectively co-planar, a carriage reciprocable along and :between said members, said carriage including a horizontal top plate and a pair of vertical spaced side plates suspended from and rigidly connected to said top plate, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said side plates,

each of said rollers spanning said members andresting in rolling contact upon the upper surfaces thereof,-said rollers being arranged in alignment parallel to and beneath said top plate, and a roller rotatably supported in said side plates beneath said first named rollers, said last named roller terminating short of said members and being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted.

4. A rail extractor comprisin a pairof parallel elongated members having flat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two members being respectively co-planar, a carriage reciprocable along and between said members, said carriage including a horizontal top plate and a pair of vertical spaced side plates suspended from and rigidly connected to said top plate, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said side plates, each of said rollers spanning said members and resting in rolling contact upon the upper surfaces thereof, said rollers being arranged in alignment parallel to and beneathsaid top plate-and a roller rotatably supported in said side plates beneath said first named rollers, said last named roller terminating short of said members and being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, all of said rollers comprising a tubular section concentrically disposed around a shaft where the rollers are in rollin contact with said members and said rail.

5. A pair of parallel elongated members adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a different side of a rail to be extracted, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members and rotatably supported on the frame, said roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portionof the rail, a plurality of means in rolling contact with and bridging the upper surfaces of said elongated members; antifriction means interconnecting the rolling contact means and the frame to support said rolling contact means for rotation about axes disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members, and means to move-said carriage along said members.

6. A pair of parallel elongated members, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller rotatably supported on the frame and adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, a plurality of means in rolling contact the bottom of an elevated portion of'a rail being extracted, a plurality of means in rolling contact with the upper surfaces of said elongated members, anti-friction means interconnecting the rolling contact means and the frame, and means to move said carriage along said members, said last named mean including an automotive vehicle attached to said members and a Winch mounted on said vehicle, matched ends of said members being arcuately recessed to receive wheels of said vehicle.

8. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members each having a downwardly extending ridge projecting from its lower inner edge, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller rotatably supported on the frame and adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, a plurality of means in rolling contact with the upper surfaces of said elongated members, and anti-friction means interconnecting the rolling contact means and the frame,

9. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members having fiat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two members being respectively co-planar, a carriage reciprocable along and between said members, said carriage including a horizontal top plate, a pair of vertical spaced side plates, and means to suspend said side plates from and rigidly connect said side plates to said top plate, said last named means being so constructed and arranged as to permit adjustment of the spacing between said side plates, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said side plates, each of said rollers spanning said members and resting in rolling contact upon the upper surfaces thereof, said rollers being arranged in alignment parallel to and beneath said top plate, a roller rotatably supported in said side plates beneath said first named rollers, said last named roller terminating short of said members and being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, all of said rollers comprising a tubular section concentrically disposed around a shaft where the rollers are in rolling contact with said members and said rail, the tubular sections in rolling contact with said members having ends thereof disposed adjacent said side plates, said last named sections being adjustably connected to their internally disposed shafts, means to prevent axial shifting of the lower roller, said means being disposed adjacent said side plates, and means to adjustably connect said shift preventing means to the shaft forming part of said lower roller.

10. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members having flat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two members being respectively co-planar, a carriage reciprocable along and between said members, said carriage including a horizontal top plate, a pair of vertical spaced side plates, and bolts to suspend said side plates from and rigidly connect said side plates to said top plate, said bolts being adapted to selectively pass through any one of a plurality of laterally spaced apentures in said top plate whereby to permit adjustment of the spacing between said side plates, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said side plates,

faces thereof, said rollers being arranged in alignment parallel to and beneath said top plate, a roller rotatably supported in said side plates beneath said first named rollers, said last named roller terminating short of said members and being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, all of said rollers comprising a tubular section concentrically disposed around a shaft where the rollers are in rolling contact with said members and said rail, the tubular sections in rolling contact with said members having ends thereof disposed adjacent said side plates, said last named sections being adjustably pinned to their internally disposed shafts, means to prevent axial shifting of the lower roller, said means being disposed adjacent said side plates, and means to adjustably pin said shift preventingmeans to the shaft f orming part of said lower roller.

11. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members having flat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two members being respectively co-planar, a carriage reciprocable along and between said members, said carriage including a horizontal top plate; a pair of vertical spaced side plates suspended from and rigidly connected to said top plate, and means to vary the spacing between said plates, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported by said side plates, each of said rollers spanning said members and resting in rolling contact on the upper surfaces thereof, said rollers being arranged in alignment parallel to and beneath said top plate, and a roller rotatably supported in said side plates beneath said first named rollers, said last named roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted.

12. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a different side of a rail, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members and rotatably supported on the frame, said roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, and a plurality of means likewise supported on the frame and mounted for rotation about axes transverse to the longitudinal axes of said members, said means being in rolling contact with and bridging the upper surface of said elongated members whereby as the carriage moves along the members to extract a rail the members Will be pressed down on both sides of the rail.

13. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a different side of a rail, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members and rotatably supported on the frame, said roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, and a plurality of means likewise supported on the frame and mounted for rotation about axes transverse to the longitudinal axes of said members, said means being in rolling contact with and bridging the upper surfaces of said elongated members whereby as the carriage moves along the members to extract a rail the members will be pressed down on both sides of the rail, and anti-friction means interconnecting-the rolling contact means and the frame.

14. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a different side of a rail, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members and rotatably supported on the frame, said roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, and a plurality of rollers rotatably supported on said frame, said rollers being rotatable about axes transverse to the longitudinal axes of said members and being in rolling contact with and bridging the upper surfaces, of said elongated members whereby as the carriage moves along the members to extract a rail the members will be pressed down on both sides of the rail.

15. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a different side of a rail, a carriage reciprocable alon said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members and rotatably supported on the frame, said roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, and a plurality of rollers in rolling contact with and bridging the upper surfaces of said elongated members, said rollers being rotatably supported in anti-friction means carried by said frame and being rotatable about axes transverse to the longitudinal axes of said members, whereby as the carriage moves along the members to extract a rail the members will be pressed down on both sides of the rail.

16. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a difierent side of a rail, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a plurality of rollers rotatably supported in a lower portion of said frame and adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, said rollers being linearly arranged and extending transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members, and a plurality of rollers in an upper portion of said frame, said second named rollers being in rolling contact with and bridging the upper surfaces of said elongated members and being rotatably supported in said frame, said second named rollers being linearly arranged at an angle to said first named rollers and extending transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members, whereby. as the carriage moves along the members to extract a rail the members will be pressed down on both sides of the rail.

17. A rail extractor comprising a pair of parallel elongated members having flat upper and lower surfaces, the upper surfaces of the two members and the lower surfaces of the two mem-' bers being respectively co-planar, said members being adapted to be stationarily disposed parallel to and each on a different side of a rail, a carriage reciprocable along said members, said carriage including a frame, a roller disposed transversely of the longitudinal axes of said members and supported on the frame, said roller being adapted to roll along the bottom of an elevated portion of a rail being extracted, and a plurality of means in rolling contact with the upper surfaces of said elongated members, said means being rotatable about axes transverse to the longitudinal axes of said members and bridging the upper surfaces of said members, whereby as the carriage moves along the members to extract a rail the members will be pressed down on both sides of the rail.

PHILIP SPIEGEL. 

